Today we are going to look at some of the current guidance that every care home resident/family/friend has to go follow (if they are lucky) - does any other part of society have 20 pages of who and how you can see your loved one? Time to revisit @GillianKeegan@sajidjavid#rfr
You might be allowed to hold hands but it come with risks.... they would rather you didn't, but if you do, keep it brief @MattHancock this was in place when you were in charge as well #rightsforresidents
At the end of the day it is all just guidance, it does not have to be followed, this is what we have found and care home providers/managers have the final say - many do - many really don't #rightsforresidents
Just look at the wording being used. Remembering this is for those in care homes, many have advanced dementia, many are young with mental or physical disabilities - substantial screens, outdoor pods, the ecg can sit with their loved ones whilst others look thro a screen #rfr
This is CARE HOME current guidance. This is the guidance for our loved ones in their own homes.... what else do we have/need to be able to see our family/friends without all these restrictions #rightsforresidents
Consider the use of speakers and hearing devices - reassure visitors (we are not visitors we are family) that some people with dementia might struggle at first to remember or recognis them......#rightsforresidents
Of course all of the above is only guidance - it appears many providers do not recognise or understand what an #essentialcaregiver is. Most of us have had to ask/fight for it - there are some wonderful homes who have offered it to all and for that we are always grateful #rfr
This was 10/9/21 @Helen_Whately thinks it is acceptable that there may have to be restrictions to our loved ones seeing their friends and family @GillianKeegan do you agree? or may be you be willing to speak to the providers who are doing all they can and families affected #rfr
Long thread. Today we are looking at the websites/visiting policies of those care providers who are on the board of @CareEngland - we mentioned this when we met with @ProfMartinGreen a couple of months ago. Very little appears to have changed. #rightsforresidents
In May we carried out a survey (from 10th -21st) to give an overall idea of what is happening. Thank you to 1,177 people who completed it. Today more changes come - we very much hope that some of the results below rapidly change as well - Thread to follow: #rightsforresidents
The first question: where is your relative/friend in a care home - We got replies from across the UK (88.7% England, 6.2% Scotland, 3.4% Wales and 1.6% NI) #rightsforresidents
The results of this next question shows a reflection of the care home 'market' and how a large % is run but Care Groups of all sizes #rightsforresidents
It has been 465 days (12th March 2020) since many Care homes locked their doors - that is 66 weeks or 11,160 hours during that time so much has happened, so many lost, and still so many denied the basic human right to family life #rightsforresidents
There have been 425 publications/guidance issued by the government for all care settings (including care at home/assisted living/chc) of those 188 relate directly to Care Homes and 19 to 'guidance' on visiting #rightsforresidents
According to @ONS between 20/3/2020 and 02/04/2021 (figures released 11/05/2021) 173,974 people have died in care homes in England and Wales. The vast majority of these, our loved ones, with minimal family contact, sometimes none #rightsforresidents
8th March this year saw a long awaited changed in guidance for all - but esp for those in Care Homes, the big change- #Essentialcaregiver was mentioned and one named visitor allowed indoors and to hold hands (everyone else could meet in groups of 6 outside) #rfr
Screens/pods still mentioned for outdoor visits for more than one person, but this time more homes did open up. There was testing, PPE, time restrictions and supervision - some things mentioned in the guidance, others not but made up by local authorities or care groups. #rfr
A week in which regulations relaxed and life started to get back to normal....
Unless you are in a care home
You can nominate 5 people to see (only two at a time) and if your care group provider allows this #rightsforresidents
We could go in a group of six inside a pub, shop, restaurant, cinema, museum - you cannot if you are in care home - you must stay outside and if you do go inside you have to isolate for 14 days - again this depends on if your care provider will let you go out #rightsforresidents
We can move home, always a traumatic&stressful experience. If you are in care home you can as well, but you have to isolate for 14 days. Imagine being dropped off somewhere strange¬ being able to leave your small room for 14 days - many with dementia wander #rightsforresidents
Happy Easter to all our followers, it is the second year that most of us are unable to be with our loved ones in care, but we are grateful to all the carers and nurses working this weekend #rfr
We still have a long way to go and must ensure that #essentialcaregiver is enshrined in law, so this barbaric locking away of all those in care, young and old, can never happen again #rfr